Summer Lovin'
by hungergamestribute18
Summary: Short one shot. Peeta has a wild crush on one certain boy. Though can anyone blame him? PeetaxFinnick


Splashes of cool, wet water sprayed me in the face.

"Come on Peeta! You have to come join us! We even got you water wings!" Katniss calls out with a teasing grin. I shake my head, flipping her bird and laying back down on the lounge chair. It's summer time and the smell of sweat, fresh cut grass and sunscreen was in the air. Children's screams rang though the air, accompanied with the sound of endless splashing. My eyes slowly closed, relishing the warm sting of the sun against my already sun-kissed skin. Bronze locks and sea green eyes drifted into my thoughts, a contented sigh escaping my lips. He'll be on shift soon, it's the only reason I drag Katniss and Jo back here every other day.

Katniss has had my back for over 13 years. It all started back when we were 5 and in music class. She was singing and I found it beautiful. I told her so right after, and she just smiled, took my hand and told me that we'd always be best friends. She was right. Through thick and thin we've had each other's backs. When she lost her first tooth, she called me. When I had my first chest hairs I told her. Down to the first "odd dreams," we both knew every single detail. The hardest part was me coming out about my sexuality. We were fifteen years old Katniss was laying in the street with me while watching the stars and had blurted out, "I'm bi." My response back was, "that's great news because I'm gay." We both looked at each other and just laughed. At the end of that month she started dating Jo and still is. They balance the other out quite oddly too, but hey, whatever works.

I'm still lost in thoughts when I feel my chair tipped into the deep end of the pool and begin flailing around wildly, gasping for air. "Fag!" I hear Cato Crane yell at me, as his friends Marvel and Gloss cackle and run away. The three of them have been bullying me for such a long time, and now are going to kill me since I can't swim.

"Help!" I call out, swallowing chlorine filled water into my aching lungs. Just when before I black out I feel a pair of sturdy, muscled arms wrap around me. While in the dark, I dream of smooth sea green eyes and the deep blue hidden within.

"Peeta? Peeta can you hear me bud?" A soft, velvety voice echoes into my ears, a touch of panic intertwined. I cough, my lungs filled with a burning sensation and rough from the chemical clogged water. My eyes split open, bright white blinding me temporarily. "He made it!" I look towards the voice, and find it's him. Finnick Odair. I choke again, and hear Jo cackle beside me. Blood rushes into my cheeks, staining them bright red I'm sure. "How do you feel blue eyes?" Finnick asks, and I try desperately to not sigh.

"My lungs hurt," I manage to croak, coughing again. "Can I have some water?" His eyes sparkle mischievously at this.

"You haven't gotten enough of it yet?" He lets out a chuckle, and I manage to smile back slightly.

"Thank you. For…" I trail off.

"For saving you? Yeah no problem. Are you okay with taking swim lessons though? Just in case those guys try that again? I can teach you myself from 9 to 10 every night, the pool closes at 8:30. You okay with that?"

My heart jumps at the idea. Finnick teaching me how to swim, all alone, for an hour every night. Sounds like paradise. I pause a moment or two faking consideration, and study his eyes for seriousness. He has a small smile and a look of hope.

"He'll do them. Jo and I need our date nights back anyways." Katniss answers before I do. Finnick laughs, and helps sit me up. I shoot a quick glare at Katniss and she just shrugs. "Hey, I speak the truth. Third wheels are okay for only so long."

I look back towards Finnick who's just smiling at all of us. "So tonight, 9 o'clock?" He says. I nod. "Sounds cool. What's your name then blue eyes?"

"Peeta. Peeta Mellark." I reply, giving him a bigger grin.

…

I'm sitting at the edge of the pool with my legs dangling in the water while watching the clock. A soft warm breeze nudges my shoulders, complimenting the crisp chill of the water beautifully. A pair of light steps echoes around the gated area, and my eyes immediately find the source. Finnick is standing in his trunks, rubbing his hands together.

"Well, ready for your first swim lesson?" I nod nervously, and he slips down beside me, diving gracefully into the shallow end. When his head emerges, he holds his hands out for me. Mine are a little shaky, but I manage to grip his and not panic. "Now carefully lie on your back and suck in a deep breath. I'll hold you up for now so you get used to the feeling." I follow his instructions and carefully take small breaths attempting to stay afloat. "Good!" He encourages with a wide smile.

The hour flies by quickly and by the end, I can successfully float and do a little bit of treading. Only in the shallow end though.

"Well, I think that's a good enough start. We can work on basic strokes tomorrow." He smiles and holds his hand out, and I grab it to shake. With a rough pull he captures me in a hug, completely catching me off guard. With a small whisper, "See you tomorrow blue eyes" and hot breath on my ear, he is gone.

…

It's been a few weeks now, and July is drawing to a close. Finnick and I have gotten pretty close over the lessons too. A handful of days ago he asked for my cell number, and since we talk constantly when we aren't together at the pool. I'm falling in love with Finnick Odair. There is only three weeks until I head off to Culinary College and the thought of losing him scares me to death. He never leaves my thoughts. Even in my dreams Finn is there, his soothing and reassuring words cooing into my ears when I screw something up. His hands holding me up when I nearly drown in the deep end of the pool. His minty breathes tickling my cheeks when he hugs me.

Tonight we're working on diving from the diving board, and I am positive it's going to be hard for me.

…

"You can do it Blue Eyes! Just like we practiced on the edge, curl up tight when you flip!" My weight bends the board, eyes trained on the wavering water ten feet below. With a deep breath, I try to jump. In my head, it's a perfect jump with beautiful spins frontwards. Realistically, I manage to clip my head on the diving board and before I break the surface hear a velvet voice cry out in a panic. "PEETA!"

…

A steady beeping noise echoes through my head, making my forehead crinkle in pain. It's so LOUD. Soft sniffles cut through my thoughts, and I try to locate the sound without opening my eyes. "Please be okay. Please be okay. I can't lose you like this; culinary school is bad enough but please don't go with amnesia. I don't know what I'll do without you blue eyes." His voice cracks at the end, and I can hear him choking back more tears. If only I could tell him I was okay. Then soft, minty lips delicately meet mine, and I hear the beeping noise pick up. I pry my eyes open into the bright light, and give a weak smile.

"Hey." Finnick cries out in joy and hugs me tightly, pulling a grimace out of me from sudden movement. "Ouch." He laughs, and pulls back with tears sliding down his face rapidly. "You love me. Real or not real?" I whisper, trying to keep awake.

He smiles gently, leaning in so he whispers on my lips, "Real." With that, I press my lips daintily to his, relishing in his taste and start to fall asleep again. "Stay with me?" I quietly say while scooting over to make room.

"Always."

…

"They're so cute, should we even disturb them?" I hear Katniss say. I can almost imagine Jo's demonic look. "Jo…"

The bed is shaken just slightly to wake us both up. "Morning lover boys. Time to get up, Peeta is ready to be released." Finnick nestles his head more deeply into the crook of my neck, letting out a soft groan of disapproval.

"Can't we just stay here forever?" He complains, tightening his arms around me. I smile and kiss his cheek, trying to navigate out of our tangled limbs. "But blue eyes…" He whines and sits up.

"I want to go home and shower. You can actually see my apartment with Katniss." He wakes up at that, giving me a grin and kissing me quickly. "Good, you're ready to get up now. Let's head out." Jo and Katniss help me into the assigned wheel chair, I was told not to walk for a few days since I threw off my back too.

"I love you." Finnick says, kissing me sweetly.

"I love you more." I whisper back with a big grin.

…

Four years later

…

I've opened up a bakery in the last month, and it's a booming success. I graduated with flying colors, landing some great loans from banks to open my own shop. Katniss and Jo just got an apartment together, and are happily in love still. This is good news, since Jo is pregnant with twins. I've never been so excited for 9 months to pass. Everything in life is running smoothly, and I couldn't be happier. If only he was still here. Finnick and I lost contact after my second year of college, me being busy with internships and wrestling competitions and Finnick busy with swim meets and many study sessions. I wished we had kept in contact; he's still the love of my life. On his Face book there are always new pictures with him and some girl, making my heart ache every time I see them together. The taste of mint and whispers of love still haunt me, but for the sake of my sanity I must move forward.

I know Katniss and Jo worry about me. I've never been quite the same, but what can you expect? Meeting someone who changed your life and perspective on the world and leaving just as quickly as he entered?

My bakery was still in my old hometown, I couldn't bear to leave all my friends and memories behind. They were all I had left. Right after I started my freshman year of college my family all passed on from a house fire. I cried for days in Finnick's arms. I had nowhere else to go. So I opened a bakery named after my father, Charlie's, and made sure to buy a building with a loft apartment above it. The bonus was I never worried about the heating bills in winter, the ovens always kept it cozy. But my life will never be the same without that man and his sea green eyes.

…

The wind is howling through town, snow drifts covering my front windows entirely. I haven't seen a single person in three hours. It sounds best to just close up early. I head into the back and shut off the ovens, storing the cooled products for tomorrow's sales. The ding of the front door bell sounds loudly. Odd, nobody should even be in this weather. I shrug to myself and wipe my flour-covered hands onto my pale blue apron and walk out front.

"Hey there, can I help-" I begin until I catch sight of who it is. His bronze locks are weighted by melted slush of what used to be snow. A bright red scarf is looped tightly around his neck, and he stands like a God still. "Finnick…hi. Did you uh…want your cheese buns?" I stutter out, scuffing the toes of my shoes on the worn wood floors.

I look at him to see him staring sadly at me. "Well? I was going to close up. Did you need anything or not?" He keeps staring, and I can feel tears filling my eyes up. I turn around and stomp back the kitchen, a tear escaping and running down my face.

"Peeta wait!" He calls out, scooting around the counter and following me to the back.

"What do you even want? You left me for some girl two years ago. You broke my heart. You said always. And you lied. So what do you want?" I huff out, my shoulders shaking while my fist clench tightly.

"I'm so sorry…she just snuck up on me." He pleads, eyes going red from the potential tears.

"And how the hell does that make me feel any better? Why don't you just run along back to her and live happily ever after? Does she even know you were dating a guy before? Happily in love?" I cry out, desperately holding back sobs.

Tears start rolling down his face too. "She died a year ago. Annie she uh," he wipes his nose, "she committed suicide to stop the pain. I always have loved you, I just loved her too Blue Eyes."

My face goes hot, "Don't you dare. I'm not yours. I never will be now. You ruined what we had. You destroyed me. I deserve a man who will treat me so much better than you did." He whimpers, the tears coming faster now.

"I know." He whispers. "It was a stretch coming back here. I just wanted to see if we even had a chance. I'm so sorry Peet." He steps closer. Minty breath washes over me, and I let out a sob, collapsing to the floor. Finn catches me halfway and sinks down with me. I grip his shirt, gasping for air and choking on my own snot.

We spend hours just holding each other, him whispering 'I'm sorry' and 'I still love you' into my ears over and over. I remember what my dad once told me when I was younger, that life's hardest lesson is learning to forgive. That forgiveness will be one of the most wonderful things you can do. So I forgive him, and he feels it too. Pulling his head back, he leans closer to my lips, silently asking for permission. I close off the space and mold mine to his.

And with that, we were fine again. Six months later, we were happily married with a baby girl on the way thanks to Katniss. She surrogated for us. She and Jo welcomed a beautiful baby boy named Aiden, and his sister Adara into the world shortly after the wedding.

We couldn't have been happier.


End file.
